A second police officer is being criminally investigated for assault over an incident at Manchester Airport last month.
This happened after a video showed a man being kicked and stomped by a police officer on July 23.
The filming led to an angry responsewith around 200 protesters gathered outside Rochdale Police Station, some shouting “GMP, shame on you!”
Three days later, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said a police officer was being criminally investigated.
He said today that a second officer was also being investigated after Greater Manchester Police passed on a complaint from one of the people involved.
The officer is also being investigated for possible serious misconduct – including the use of force, the IOPC added.
An IOPC investigation does not automatically mean that criminal charges or misconduct proceedings will follow.
Greater Manchester Police are separately investigating whether any crimes were committed by members of the public involved.
The force said three officers were attacked at the airport, including a female officer who suffered a broken nose after being punched.
IPOC said it would investigate the use of force against two men and a woman – part of an initial incident near the airport parking machines – during which the two men were arrested.
It is also investigating the use of force against three other people in an incident shortly after, when two men were arrested and one of them was pepper-sprayed.
The IOPC said it would assess whether the actions complied with police policies and procedures and whether “discriminatory behavior” was a factor.
IOPC regional director Catherine Bates said the incident was “complex and escalated quickly” and that they are “working hard to bring together all relevant events”.
Family members of those involved have been informed of the investigation and Ms Bates has asked anyone with any relevant information or video to get in touch.
Photo: PA
It comes two days after a lawyer representing those involved said all footage of the incident should be withheld.
Lawyer Aamer Anwar said an “incomplete series of events” was portrayed and the family suffered “terrible racist and Islamophobic abuse on social media”.
Mr Anwar provided the family’s version of events.
He said the issue arose from an incident on a flight from Pakistan when Shameem Akhtar was racially abused by a man on board.
She broke down in tears when she was met by her children in Manchester, with the men confronting the alleged culprit near a Starbucks at the airport, where an “altercation” took place.
The lawyer said the family left and went to the car park, where Mr Amaaz was approached by three police officers.
He said “the footage does not show exactly what the police did, how the incident began or the full conduct of the officers following the incident, including after the arrest.”
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